Seafood Risotto + A Festive Gathering

Post by Molly

A few Sundays ago, I met my friend (and namesake) Molly for a long overdue coffee at Café Presse. Two cappuccinos, one croque madame, and countless stories later, we came to realize we shared the same unconditional love for cooking, eating, and talking about food. And before you could say “troll-caught Alaskan salmon,” a joint dinner party was planned.

And let’s face it — the best part about hosting a dinner party is the leftovers. The laughs, good people, and tender moments are all just icing on the cake. To ensure we had bounty for the weeks ahead, Molly and I went over the top on our menu (and weren’t sorry in the least). The dishes we selected from Plenty, Jerusalem, Bon Appetit, and Smitten Kitchen called for fresh ingredients like U-District Farmers Market produce, Tall Grass Bakery bread, and an abundance of local cheeses. Molly even tapped into the 15 lb. selection of wild Alaskan salmon taking up space in her freezer — caught, flash-frozen, and shipped from her friends in Sitka, AK.
After hours of shopping, prepping, sipping, foraging, sampling, and dancing to Talking Heads, we set the house until everything was just so.

All while we wined and dined, I had my Tupp Up wheels turning. I couldn’t help but wonder just what assortment of goodies would be left the next morning to experiment with. What remained were heaps of fresh herbs, a few ounces of salmon, and a jar full of lemony white wine poaching liquid. In other words, the perfect starter for seafood risotto.
Prep time: 15 minutes / Cook time: 45 minutes / Serves: 4

WHAT YOU NEED:

2 cups vegetable broth

2 Tbsp. butter

1 shallot, minced

1 cup Arborio rice

5 saffron threads

Salt and pepper

½ cup dry white wine

6 oz. salmon or other fish, torn into pieces, any skin and bones removed